Insure Oklahoma has statewide support

Oklahomans broadly support protecting the Insure Oklahoma program, according to a poll sponsored by the Oklahomans for a Healthy Economy, an advocacy group.

A strong majority would like to see the program extended, the poll shows.

The poll of registered likely Oklahoma voters found that 55 percent support “a plan that expands Insure Oklahoma if it is paid for in part by federal money,” while only 28 percent oppose it.

More than 50 percent of the polled Oklahomans favored Insure Oklahoma while 15 percent opposed it, with 34 percent either unfamiliar with the program or having no opinion.

Insure Oklahoma underwrites the costs of private health insurance for some 30,000 working poor Oklahomans. It is funded with federal Medicaid money, state tobacco tax revenue and other contributions.

By more than a 55-point margin, the surveyed Oklahomans believe that the program should be protected, the poll found.

By a margin of 60 percent to 15 percent, Republicans in the poll said Fallin and the Legislature should act to prevent Insure Oklahoma from ending.

Oklahomans for a Healthy Economy advocates “policies that will improve Oklahoma’s fiscal and physical health.” Supporters include the Oklahoma Hospital Association and its 135 members, chambers of commerce, community health organizations, faith-based organizations and others.

The scientific random telephone poll was conducted by Oklahoma Citybased SoonerPoll May 22 through June 12.

Of 402 participants, 108 were contacted by cellphone and 295 by landline.

The combined results were weighted to adjust for variation in the sample relating to age, sex and political party. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.